LAUSR

Identifying and evaluating the diffuse interface between the users’ material perceptions and the designer’s intended product personalities is a key aspect of decision making in user centred design. As such, acquiring reliable information on the material perceptions of users is vital for studying material selection using the diffuse interface. To verify the reliability of material perception data and its relevance to materials, two surveys on material perceptions were conducted using two different groups. The data were analysed by priority fluctuation, the p value of a hypothesis test of the difference in two proportions, and the Pearson coefficient and p value of a correlation analysis. The results revealed that conducting multiple surveys using statistically validated adjective pairs and merging the data can provide more objective material perception data of a large number of participants. Moreover, by creating a large database of statistically validated adjective pairs, designers will have access to a variety of material perception data to enable more appropriate material selection to meet the diverse needs of users. Suitable material can be selected by employing the Euclidean distance between users’ common perceptions of materials and the designer’s intended product personalities.